Menu

My last 300 days in Japan

However, when you love where you live but have a departure date looming it will go by faster than you want.

I highly doubt I’ll ever have a chance to live here permanently, even though I’d love to. My Japanese level is lower-basic, and I write so slowly that I might as well say I can’t write at all. I consider this “it” for me, so I need to be diligent to do all I want to do while I can.

We have been lucky enough to have done all the major things we wanted to do by year 2 of our 4 year tour here, even when I got cancer about a year and a half in. I didn’t let being sick stop me because I wanted to soak up all I could from this country.

Before we even touched down in Tokyo my husband and I had made a bucket list of things we wanted to do and accomplish while here that ranged from the (now) mundane, like using a drink vending machine, to the incredible, like reaching the summit of Mount Fuji.

So, now what? What can I do with 300 days? I’m sick a lot post-cancer, so I have to accept that there’s no way I can fully use every single one of those days.

We’ve done all the big things on our bucket list, but my mind is racing with all the little things I want to do, buy, see, taste, and experience.

Most of those are related to experiences with our friends and are also linked to the prime photo seasons here.

Fall has already come and gone, so I have late winter and early spring (ume) and spring (sakura) to look forward to. It’s a truly magical time of year… there’s nothing like it.

I want to (maybe) visit the Harry hedgehog cafe in Roppongi, but over the years I’ve struggled with the whole idea of buying into animal entertainment.

Empty beach at Yoron

David hasn’t been to a maid cafe yet, though I’ve been to plenty.

We want to scuba dive in Okinawa. We dove in Yoron, a teeny tiny island near Okinawa that locals say has more cows that people.

Yoron is different that Okinawa, though. It is in a different prefecture, has a different culture, and has different marine life. However, it was incredibly beautiful and quiet there and most days it was just the two of us on the beach.

We still haven’t been to the Skytree or Tower Tower (I know, I know- shame on us).

Those are our big “to-do” items left on our list. That, and stocking up on all my favorite Japanese products and fashion before we move.

Time is ticking….

What do you like to do before you move?

Do you have any tips about things that were on your “must do” list while in/visiting Japan?